Why is this choral piece (00:00 - 01: 13) a work of art?

[makivka]

Just listen to that first small section. The question is, why is this a work of art?  

I don't have any clue as to how to answer that question. Do anyone have any ideas?

Audio:

Thank you for your replies!

[Bob]

Why?  It's a piece of music.  Instant art.  You can debate whether it's good or bad, high or low, or whether it's "art".... but it's still art.  Made to be listened to, framed, appreciated.

[klavieronin]

You'll need to define "art" before you can answer the question. Define "art" the decide if the piece meets the criteria.

[quantum]

Is this for your course?

Maybe you could start talking about why 00:00 - 01:13 is considered art, and why anything after 1:13 is not considered.  Or is it? Why do we call oranges oranges?  If you cut an orange in half, is half an orange still considered an orange?  

Seriously though, rather than trying to justify why this is art and get into grandiose topics, pick an aspect of the piece and discuss.  It could be something along the lines: this orange is greener than the others in the basket, I like it, and here is what I find interesting about it...


Can you give more details on this course? 

[Bob]

You could go with someone purposely creating it as art, purity of the voices, complexity of the sounds.  Although (and it depends on your definition) it could be lacking on all that and still be art I think.

[themeandvariation]

Your threads seem to be homework questions to a class you're taking.  If so, Why not ask your questions In Class?

[quantum]

Defining "art" would be an important part of the discussion.  After all, this was/is considered art:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_(Duchamp)

Or maybe it is a starting point.  How is this piece art, in relation to hearing a tree falling in a forest?  If someone is there to record the sounds of a tree falling in a forest does it then become art?  Or is it art before the person is there to witness it?  What came first, the tree falling or art?  Was the falling tree a seminal event in the creation of the notion of art?

[Bob]

Or if no one listens to it?

Or if non-humans make it or listen to it?  Or what they hear it but don't "appreciate" it?

And then there's the definition of music, although it's not directly related to this question.  I'd say music is some kind of organized sound.  But art?  I'd got with art is whatever the viewer considers is art.  There does always seem to be some kind of observation and appreciation involved in art.  As opposed to utility I suppose... which this piece would have if it's part of a mass.  I wonder if you could say it's less "art" since it "utilitized" for religious worship, if that makes it less pure "art."

[makivka]

I appreciate all of you commenting to this post!

Bob - you gave the perfect answer! Haha, thank you.

quantum - Yes, it was. I answered the question as best as I could, but it was just wholly confusing. The whole piece is a work of art, yes, but I was given only that little section and question as to why it's art.

themeandvariation - I am not exactly .. able to because it's an online class. I have figure things out by myself.

Everyone else - thank you for your comments! It was interesting to read what different people thought about this question.

[Bob]

I suppose you could say someone "raises it to an art form."  For whatever it is, they do it so well or interestingly that that aspect is emphasized over what it actually is.  That would eliminate any crappy art.